Cheapskate Sandblaster

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

I like the effect that sandblasting gives to the finish of aluminium engine bodies and components so I thought I would have a go with one of the £12 accessories available for my Karcher pressure washer. These are the results using kiln dried sand from Wickes

2 similar components (both failures for various reasons). I've shown 2 different lighting conditions which I hope capture the effect. I was rather pleased with the result for very little outlay.

Rod

Edited By Roderick Jenkins on 04/09/2019 23:28:47

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

Thanks Rod,

Recently had some blasting done with a professional wet blaster using crushed glass which did an excellent job. I already have a cheap sandblaster that works with air but not 100% happy with it. But that price for a Karcher attachment I will have to get one.

Paul.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Does it leave a rough surface? Ramon uses glass beads which are not as aggressive. I'm in two minds to blast the crankcase for the Midget I'm making at the moment or whether to give it a nice bit of colour. I've got a Lidl Parkside blaster that I have tried briefly on CI.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

You could use one of the recycling blast guns, intended for cleaning spark plugs. Very little sand escapes.

Using one of the "normal" sandblasting guns, outside of a cabinet uses a lot of sand, and ends up with you in the middle an inland beach!

Howard

[VicParticipant @vic]

I use this in my blasting cabinet.

**LINK**

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Vic, are you using it for cleaning purposes or for applying a finish like this on the crankcases to replicate a die cast finish?

[doubletopParticipant @doubletop]

Rod

I've got one of the small cabinets and even though it is enclosed quite a bit of dust gets out. I've looked at these open air systems but have always wondered how much mess they make.

Although you are using kiln dried sand in your Kartcher I assume it runs wet so you soon have a pile of wet sand? Does that help contain the dust? Can the sand be adequately dried out to re-use it?

What is your experince?

Pete

[VicParticipant @vic]

Jason, I use it for all kinds of things. Biggest project was a Target Crossbow, blasted before Anodising. I particularly like the finish it gives on tools though. After blasting I clean it off and add a coat of Microcrystalline Wax.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

That finish would look good anodised, Rod.

Neil

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

This is a messy method. The con rod was held down on the patio with a welly clad foot for blasting and there is wet sand everywhere but the garden can cope with that. As for the texture, I can just feel that the surface is not silky smooth but is more uniform than the machining marks left from the milling.

I've been doing some really crap welding with a basic Parkside buzz box that I was given (I will not show this, it is too embarrassing ). The blaster made a decent job of cleaning off the fuming and much of the discoloration, thereby emphasising all the slag inclusions. I guess one could try a different medium but I'm not really up for spreading £50 of wet garnets over the garden.

I have no other requirement for a noisy compressor so this system will do for me.

Cheers,

Rod

[doubletopParticipant @doubletop]

Rod

Much as I had suspected, a total loss solution and cost effective if you live near a beach!

As for removing machining marks and other minor imperfections that's certainly one of the benefits of blasting parts. Far quicker than trying to blend with files and wet and dry. If you want a good finish give the job give it a blast, and then start with the wet and dry. Otherwise a great base for the etch primer. Just make sure all the running surfaces are well protected.

Pete

Edited By Doubletop on 06/09/2019 11:33:29

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

At £4.75 for a large bag of sand ( c 25kg) the loss is not great. I used about a kilo to do the con rod and my steel fabrication.

Rod

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Roderick Jenkins on 06/09/2019 11:15:07:

. The con rod was held down on the patio with a welly clad foot for blasting

Rod

The only problem I see with that is Mrs Tangler will want the rest of the patio pressure washed to match

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

HEALTH WARNING

Sand should no longer be used for blast cleaning unless proper breathing aparatus is used, not just a mask. Sand contails silica and breathing it is bad for your health. Workers who breath in silica dust could develop chronbronchitis, emphysema or acute silicosis.

The latest health warnings in Australia are for stone masons and kitchen workers who cut and grind granite benchtops and breath in the dust. They have developed similar lung diseases like emphysema.

The wet blasters do not make as much dust while operation but when the slurry dries, fine dust is left on the ground. We had a full size engine blast cleaned outside of our club shed and although there was no dust while cleaning, when it dried the wind picked it up and blew it everywhere. Do the blasting on top of a plastic tarp and roll it up with the damp grit and dispose of it before it dries.

Paul.

Edited By Paul Lousick on 06/09/2019 14:06:52

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Posted by Paul Lousick on 06/09/2019 14:04:01:

HEALTH WARNING

… when it dried the wind picked it up and blew it everywhere…

Yup. That's what happens on the beach round here.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Posted by JasonB on 06/09/2019 13:40:34:

Posted by Roderick Jenkins on 06/09/2019 11:15:07:

. The con rod was held down on the patio with a welly clad foot for blasting

Rod

The only problem I see with that is Mrs Tangler will want the rest of the patio pressure washed to match

Actually, I've given up using a pressure washer on the patio. I find "Patio Magic" more effective, longer lasting and much easier. I had to go and find the Karcher in the loft.

Rod

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

The health warning is definitely relevant for people doing it everyday commercially and inside.
I had great expectations of the wet blaster when I got it but found that any blowback would make the sand feed tube damp and instantly block. I intended to make a pressurised sand feed to prevent this but haven't got round to it yet.

[doubletopParticipant @doubletop]

Posted by Paul Lousick on 06/09/2019 14:04:01:

HEALTH WARNING

Sand should no longer be used for blast cleaning unless proper breathing aparatus is used, not just a mask. Sand contails silica and breathing it is bad for your health. Workers who breath in silica dust could develop chronbronchitis, emphysema or acute silicosis.

……………

Edited By Paul Lousick on 06/09/2019 14:06:52

Yes I have garnet in my small cabinet blaster and wear a 3M respirator and hooded overalls as dust still gets out. I made the mistake of not wearing overalls once and after I took off the respirator started breathing the dust in my clothes.

 

Pete

Edited By Doubletop on 06/09/2019 23:08:34

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

I have an ancient Guyson grit blast cabinet. When I bought it the seller insisted I take the extraction/filter unit, at no extra cost! "You'll need it mate" he said, how very right he was. Using finer types of grit it soon gets hard to see what I'm doing if the extractor is not running.

I use the cabinet infrequently, never the less I find it surprising just how much the dust the extractor collects, better there than inside me.

John

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by Roderick Jenkins on 06/09/2019 15:52:49:

Posted by JasonB on 06/09/2019 13:40:34:

Posted by Roderick Jenkins on 06/09/2019 11:15:07:

. The con rod was held down on the patio with a welly clad foot for blasting

Rod

The only problem I see with that is Mrs Tangler will want the rest of the patio pressure washed to match

Actually, I've given up using a pressure washer on the patio. I find "Patio Magic" more effective, longer lasting and much easier. I had to go and find the Karcher in the loft.

Rod

I wouldn’t be happy using a Biocide like patio magic compared to plain water from my jet washer.

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